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Mimshak - From science to policy

The Mimshak Fellowship cultivates young scientific leadership to act as scientific advisers within government administrations, and to assist in the process of decision-making on acute environmental issues.

Mimshak Environmental Science and Policy Fellowship

The Mimshak Science Policy Fellowship Program is an applied training program founded by the Israel Society of Ecology and Environmental Sciences (ISEES).

ISEES is a non-profit scientific society, operating since 1971. We support environmental science and research, and work to communicate environmental-scientific knowledge to decisionmakers and the public to improve individual and collective environmental decision-making.

Mimshak, is an acclaimed science policy fellowship program, based on the model of the prestigious AAAS Fellowships. The Mimshak Fellowship provides exceptional PhD graduates with an invaluable opportunity to gain firsthand experience in national policymaking, enabling them to utilize their knowledge and skills to address Israel's most pressing societal and environmental challenges and promote science-based decision-making in these issues. As scientific advisors to senior public officers in various Israeli government ministries, including Energy, Agriculture, Transportation, Finance, Interior, and others, fellows engage in yearlong assignments, offering their expertise and insights. Since its inception in 2011, the program has established strong partnerships with Israel's prominent ministries. Each year, we welcome 10-15 new fellows, expanding our distinguished community of policy-savvy leaders who foster collaboration across academia, government, nonprofits, and

Mimshak's vision is to promote research-based environmental public policy in Israel. We believe that public policy grounded in scientific knowledge is essential for the well-being of the people and the natural environment. The environmental challenges that Israel faces are far more complex than those encountered just a few decades ago. Identifying and understanding environmental issues, as well as finding and applying scientifically proven policy solutions are tasks that have become increasingly complex and demanding. Using research and applying scientific insights, Mimshak fellows build capacity for better public environmental decision-making, empower the academic community, strengthen cooperation between government and scientists, thereby promoting intelligent management of 21st century challenges.

The Fellows of The 13th cohort

I joined the Mimshak Fellowship in order to promote environmental issues in Israel, by integrating scientific and environmental knowledge to improve the quality of life in Israel. I believe that the effective and successful way of influencing significant processes in the environmental sphere and impacting Israel's environmental policy decision makers, is by acting from within the system

I joined the Mimshak Fellowship with a desire to make a difference. I believe that only actions and well-placed intentions can enable and improve the quality of our environment and life. The Fellowship gave me a professional and challenging path for activity from within the system at the national level, using scientific knowledge pertinent to decision making

I considered the Mimshak Fellowship to be a direct continuation of my academic training and my work at the Public Health Coalition, aiming to promote public health in Israel. I believe that by minimizing exposure to environmental risk factors and encouraging exposure to protective factors, Israel's public can be healthier.

I believe that "the best way to predict the future is to invent it" (Alan Kay). I consider the Mimshak Fellowship to be a platform for the combination of my scientific capabilities and my duties as a citizen, enabling me to influence the design of Israeli policy.

The Mimshak Fellowship was an exceptional and challenging opportunity for me to combine extensive professional knowledge with the desire to make a difference and to instill recognition in the importance of environmental considerations and sustainable conduct. The opportunity to be in the right place at the right time, to contribute and influence the design of environmental policy is a privilege, which comprises a possibility for both personal fulfillment and realization of values.

There is a huge gap between the forefront of knowledge attained in academic laboratories and the knowledge according to which decisions are being made in the centers of decision-making; it is the moral responsibility of scientists to bridge this gap. For this reason I joined the Mimshak Fellowship.

It is a tremendous privilege to get up in the morning and think about what I can do for the public, not for the pursuit of money - which mostly drives the world, and not for science - the world from which I have come; But for the sake of other people – most of whom I do not even know. I thank MIMSHAK for allowing this thought to engage me every morning and for giving me the opportunity to positively influence the lives of people around me and the environment in which I live.

I have always believed in the connection between academia and practice and I came to MIMSHAK in order to put my abilities into practice and to engage in policy-making processes. It is important to try to change from within the system, especially when it comes to issues of environment, society and planning, ultimately decided at the centers of decision-making.

MIMSHAK is a unique platform. There is no other program in Israel that allows citizens who are committed to public action to leave a significant mark on the environment and society in Israel in such a short period of time.

I considered Mimshak to be a direct continuation of my endeavors in science and education, as well as a springboard for getting to places in which decisions which have great significance for the lives of many people are being made. A principal consideration in my choice to join Mimshak was the desire to improve people's lives and to contribute to the environment.

The Mimshak Fellowship was a challenging and unusual opportunity for me to influence decision making and policy design processes in public service, by means of promoting sustainable development that meets human needs but also enables the assimilation of considerations such as nature preservation and protection of the marine environment.

I came to the Mimshak Fellowship with a desire to get more closely acquainted with the work of the public sector and to take part in it, wishing to promote environmental and social issues within the public system using scientific-ecological knowledge.

Every placement and each role are so different… It is one of those fascinating things, to see what Mimshak fellows are doing, each in their own field, and appreciate the opportunities that emerge for effective collaborations.